The dangers of homeopathic vaccines

LAKE WORTH, FL - OCTOBER 16: Grayson Handwerker, 6, receives a H1N1 nasal flu spray vaccine from medical assistant Mayra Medrano at MD Now Urgent Care Centers on October 16, 2009 in Lake Worth, Florida. MD Now Urgent Careís staff began administering limited supplies of the H1N1 nasal flu spray vaccine to local residents as the vaccine is made available in the South Florida area. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)Joe Raedle
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MIAMI - OCTOBER 19: Jacquiline Lechuga ,5, sits on the lap of her father, Marko Lechuga as she receives an H1N1 nasal flu spray vaccine from nurse Shajaira Powell-Bailey at the Broadmoor Elementary school October 19, 2009 in Miami, Florida. The Miami-Dade County Health Department began distribution its initial shipments of the H1N1 Influenza vaccine and is launching a vaccination campaign in conjunction with the Miami-Dade County Public Schools, The Children?s Trust and The Trust?s partner health agencies. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)Joe Raedle
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Johana Villafuerte,6, receives a H1N1 nasal flu spray vaccine from nurse Shajaira Powell-Bailey at the Broadmoor Elementary school October 19, 2009 in Miami, Florida. The Miami-Dade County Health Department began distribution its initial shipments of the H1N1 Influenza vaccine and is launching a vaccination campaign in conjunction with the Miami-Dade County Public Schools, The Children?s Trust and The Trust?s partner health agencies. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)Joe Raedle
/ Getty Images

PROVO, UTAH - OCTOBER 27: A nurse gives an nasal spry of the H1N1 vaccine to Caden Jones at the Utah County Health Department October 27, 2009 in Provo, Utah. After health department got a shipment of 4000 vaccines overnight, a large line formed with a wait of four to five hours. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images)George Frey
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Homeopathic vaccines, also known as nosodes, are often promoted as a natural alternative to traditional vaccination programs. Clinicians who promote these nosodes — mostly homeopaths and naturopaths — suggest that homeopathic vaccines may even work better and that they are significantly safer. Many of these practitioners sell homeopathic vaccines in their offices.

Nosodes are sourced from infected saliva, feces, pus and other natural secretions. This is later mixed with alcohol. It then gets diluted until it is harmless.

Health Canada has approved close to 150 nosodes for sale in Canada. Yet these products have never been approved as alternatives to vaccines. In fact, last year Health Canada asked that new warning labels be added to homeopathic vaccines. Labels must contain the following warning: “This product is not intended to be an alternative to vaccination.” All companies that sell nosodes received warning letters in 2013 that they must comply with new regulations by March 2014.

A Canadian advocacy organization, Bad Science Watch, applauded this decision. Opponents of homeopathic vaccines now claim that Health Canada’s decision will allow consumers to get more accurate information.

Regardless of the above developments, a number of parents continue to opt for homeopathic vaccinations. Some pediatricians have refused to care for these families, explaining that parents who opt for homeopathic vaccines endanger their children. These pediatricians argue that they do not want to partake in further care because families are irresponsible if they continue using these vaccines after having been warned not to do so.

Other pediatricians have opted for education, hoping to convince parents to use the traditional vaccine schedule. I have honoured the wishes of a number of parents who asked me to check their child’s immunity following the use of nosodes; in 100 per cent of the cases, objective blood tests showed a lack of appropriate immunity.

Parents who get blood test results back showing that homeopathic vaccines have failed to provide sufficient immunity often leave my office disappointed. My analogy, which consistently resonates well with most of these parents, is that the use of nosodes is a bit like closing the front door of your house, but leaving the door unlocked, thus giving a false sense of security.

Last year, Britain experienced a deadly outbreak of measles and this prompted the British Homeopathic Association to issue a statement acknowledging that traditional vaccines are the only way to reduce the transmission of measles.

The education of families and doctors regarding vaccine risks remain fraught with controversies. Dr. Bob Sears, a well-respected California pediatrician, has attempted to settle for a compromised version of vaccination — essentially delaying some vaccines. He is the author of The Vaccine Book, a book that has become popular with parents who want to vaccinate their children but on their own terms (See www.askdrsears.com) At a recent meeting of the American Academy of Pediatrics, a motion was passed decrying the use of non-standard vaccine schedules. Pediatricians who vilified Dr. Sears at this meeting received a protracted and enthusiastic applause.

In the official journal of the AAP this month, a research group based at Dartmouth College, New Haven, published very important data regarding effective messages in vaccine promotion. The authors concluded that current public health communications about vaccines may not be effective. They added that for some parents, efforts to convince them to vaccinate their children may actually increase misperceptions, or reduce vaccine intention. Attempts to correct false claims about vaccines may be especially likely to be counterproductive.

What do doctors do when it comes to vaccinating their own children? A Swiss study looked at how physicians immunize their own children. The study published in Pediatrics Vol 116, No 5, November 2005, showed that the majority of pediatricians followed the current vaccination recommendations. The study did however reveal that a significant proportion of non-pediatricians declined or delayed the immunization of their own children with combination vaccines, citing fears of immune overload. (This fear has been shown to be untrue by the Vaccine Education Center and other recent researchers)

Pro-vaccine messaging may have failed thus far and recent outbreaks of measles in various parts of North America may confirm this impression. This fact will continue to frustrate a number of doctors who fail to acknowledge parental concerns, and insist on using the law in future to mandate vaccination.

Dr. Nieman has worked as a community pediatrician in Calgary since 1987. He is a clinical assistant professor at the University of Calgary and leads the Pediatric section of the Calgary Weight Management Center. He is the president of the Alberta Chapter of the AAP.

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